A Story of Christmas Future
by OneHorseShay
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Freddie and Jade planned to enjoy the holiday evening, but they get an unexpected visit from faces they shouldn't be able to see. Takes place after 'Who Are My Brothers' Minor spoiler from that story. Freddie Benson/Jade West


Hello dear readers! It has been a little while since I've published, but don't you worry; I'm still kicking and writing. I hope to pick up updating in the coming year. For today however, is a story that's obviously a little behind in when it should have been published, but the holiday by its very nature is a busy time and this ballooned into a far bigger piece than I originally intended. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

A Story of Christmas Future  
By OneHorseShay  
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. For God's sake, don't sue.  
Rating: K+ Language  
Pairing: Freddie Benson/Jade West (Jedi), mention of Ian West/Grace.  
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Freddie and Jade planned to enjoy the holiday evening, but they get an unexpected visit from faces they shouldn't be able to see. Takes place after 'Who Are My Brothers?' A minor spoiler from that story.

* * *

Green Meadow Mall  
Los Angeles, CA  
Thursday, December 24, 2015

Freddie Benson felt frustrated as he browsed from one store to another, trying to find a last minute gift for Jade. He hadn't put off getting her a Christmas gift to Christmas Eve; he had been looking for something special since the first day of November. However, he found himself in the same place he was trapped during Jade's last birthday—the big two-one—and months before during the eventful Valentine's Day when he got a sneak peak of their future. He barely managed to think of something for her birthday and it looked like it would be the same for this Christmas.

At the moment, he was scanning over an assorted array of knickknacks—high quality knickknacks that would suit his love such as a small angel, but still knickknacks—on a shelf, but found it annoying that he felt he was just trying to find something.

"You look like you're constipated," Dusty uttered from a few feet away as he studied an intricate snow globe.

Freddie turned his head to turn his annoyance towards Dusty with a slight squint. "I'm not constipated, I'm annoyed. You couldn't tell?"

"I can look into your soul. I have looked inside your soul, but I was making a joke," the slightly taller young man answered as stood up and sideways glanced to his friend. "You've been getting worst for the last week. You seriously need to take a breath. The stress is going to give you a stomach ulcer at this rate."

Freddie muttered out in mild disgust, "That's easy for you to say. You have all your gifts—and I thought you were here to help me, not point out the obvious."

The slightly older young man answered, "I am helping you. I'm trying to find something that Jade might like, because you're obviously too stress to think straight."

"I'm thinking just find… I just can't think of something that she'll love, not just something she just 'might like'."

Dusty rolled his eyes and snorted out, "Every gift doesn't have to be some grand deceleration of love between you. If she doesn't get that you love her, then you are suddenly a hopeless case and put the rest of us to shame. You haven't realized it's the little things that can mean the most?"

Freddie slightly cocked his head to the side and answered, "I know how to do that, but it's the big things that are getting harder to find her something and Christmas is one of those times you get something big."

Dusty cocked his head to the side and muttered, "You've been with her for how long? It's this hard to shop for her?"

The last minute shopper shook his head in frustration and answered, "How many pieces of movie memorabilia can I get her? Or strange and oddball things? Or personalized jewelry? We're staying in L.A. for Christmas, so a trip is out of the question to surprise her…" He rolled his eyes and muttered, "I really couldn't afford it anyway."

Dusty shrugged his shoulders and answered, "That's the price of being a cash-strapped college student… then throw in the fact that she's a multimillionaire breadwinner…"

The college senior sighed and pointed out with a thinly patient grimace, "Well, some of us actually have to work and study at the same time."

The leather jacket wearing young man raised his hands and answered, "Hey, don't blame me because you have lousy money mangers of your shoe product placement buyout and your three-D camera royalties. I've offered to invest some of your money, but noooo, you told me not to worry about it and trust Jade's people. You know I would have gotten you a better return on your money. You don't have to work while going to college."

Freddie took a deep breath then calmly answered, "Can we get back to me scrambling in getting Jade a gift?"

The former Carolinian smiled and answered, "Fine, fine… okay, let's think about this logically—you are a computer science major and need that for mathematics. You've practically been married for the last three and a half years; why not look at the list for what you're supposed to get for that particular anniversary? You could go for year three or four. I'm sure there is plenty of variation to get something for Christmas."

The idea struck such an accord with Dusty that he pulled out his Pearphone and thumbed across the screen to bring up a window to search for the traditional gifts for those years.

Freddie thought on his suggestion, but moments later voiced his concern, "I was hoping to do that when we're actually married."

Dusty requested while he was playing with his phone, "Define 'actually'?"

Freddie cocked an eyebrow and answered with a bit of a laugh, "You know… legally. Marriage license, minister performing a service."

The son of a blue collar worker rolled his eyes away from the phone screen. Freddie was expecting to hear his usual Libertarian position that the government had no business in the realm of defining marriage at all short of stopping child marriages and incest, but ready to point out that his marriage license was issued from Vatican City. However, Dusty continued with a snap of his fingers, "I got it, how 'bout eloping? A wedding would be some Christmas present."

Freddie rolled his eyes and breathily sighed, "I'm not eloping. We're still having the spring wedding."

"Why not? Why put it off? You of all people understand the preciousness of not wasting time because you never know what might happen next."

"Because the rest of the family would kill us? Mrs. West certainly would. Miss her daughter's wedding… I'd be in the doghouse for years."

Dusty waved him off, "She's too busy with Colonel Shay's presidential campaign then she'll be in the White House, so she can't give you any grief."

Freddie pursed his lips and narrowed his gaze. "That's still a year away and there's still their wedding sometime in the meantime that we'd attend. She'd probably stick me in the worst seating at the reception."

"Fine, fine…" Dusty muttered then tapped his chin, looking contemplatively. He raised that tapping finger and idly asked with a smartass smirk on his face, "Okay… when's Sapphire conception date? A baby certainly is a present."

Freddie turned his attention back to the shelf and answered with a tired, almost regretful sounding voice, "Still about another thirteen months away?"

Dusty's grin grew bigger, finding it humorous that Freddie—and Jade of course—were so eager to get started on having the family before the official nuptials. In fairness, they had already been together for the last four and a half years and have another year under their belt before their first child. He teased, "You have that date burned into your brain."

The former Seattleite looked away from the shelf and answered, "I don't know the exact date. I just know her birthday is on Halloween of twenty-seventeen and counting backwards it's sometime near the end of January and first week of February."

"And that doesn't concern you that you don't have an exact date? What are you going to do? Have sex with her everyday of the week to make sure she conceives your daughter?"

He awkwardly laughed, not having worked out the details of making sure the future he had visited ten months ago actually happened, "If we have to?"

Dusty snorted a laugh and shook his head, finding the whole thing absurd even with track record of weirdness. However, laughter wasn't needed in this situation, but facing a not so pleasant consideration. "If you do that, you don't know that she'd conceive Sapphire, the girl you met. It could be another girl with the way chromosomes are mixed together for each child or maybe you'll get a son. The probability of having that child is almost astronomical. Just trying for her on that particular week is still a bootstrap paradox."

Freddie rolled his eyes and nodded his head. "I know, but we have to try and when did you become so pessimistic?"

Dusty gave him a sad smile. "I'm not being pessimistic; I'm being realistic. I don't want you two disappointed… or you subconsciously not accepting whatever child is born like your mother was with you. The future Jade saw wasn't set, there's no guarantee that yours is set either."

The possible future CEO of the Pear Company frowned, not particularly appreciating him pointing out that his mother had wished for a daughter and there were times where she had made that wish clear with him or that he could fall into that same trap if Sapphire wasn't born, but a boy. He wouldn't repeat the sins of his mother. However, it wasn't just his possible behavior he didn't appreciate being questioned, but the fact that the future wasn't set and it had been considerably altered from Jade's experience for the better and for some of the others… quite different, especially Dusty's future.

Freddie took a breath then answered, "If we have a son, then we'll have a son and love him just as much."

The older young man sighed, "While mourning a daughter that wasn't born?"

Freddie thought on his friend's somber words then squared his shoulders and answered, "Then I guess I'll have to depend on a miracle won't I?"

The Nephil nodded his head to the side and answered in a quiet and regretful voice, "That's not one I think I could give you and you know the dependability of my mother."

Freddie smiled nevertheless and patted him on the side of the arm. "I got to have a little faith in miracles. It's Christmas after all."

"I guess we'll see…"

He glanced down at his phone and grinned as the suggestion was listed for a particular anniversary. "…and I think I have an idea for what you can get Jade, but we're not going to find her anything here, so…" He nodded his head back towards the exit of the store, glancing across the row of stores in the mall then instructed, "This way."

Freddie raised a curious and concerned eyebrow about what he had in mind, but he trusted his friend explicated.

Dusty led him through the last minute crowd to a store on the other side and a few stores down into a fine clothing store. He stopped in front of the sales counter and charmingly smiled at the young cute dirty blonde sales clerk, getting a bashful smile in return, and asked, "Good afternoon. I was hoping we could get some assistance in jackets."

"Yes sir," she politely answered then looked over to her left towards a well-dressed salesman and called out to him. He finished pulling off a piece of nonexistent lent of a display off the blazer jacket to a display suit then walked over to the clerk. She whispered something to him then he turned with a polite smile to the pair. He gave a once over with his eyes on Dusty and politely remarked, "I can see yours is a little worst for wear sir."

Dusty grinned down at his worn, patched and stitched together over the right side and shoulder. "It's earned every knick, scratch and tear, but my friend here is in the market for a lady's leather jacket for his fiancé for Christmas. Something preferably in black…" He glanced to Freddie and finished with a hint of sarcastic, "…and put a dent in his checking account."

The salesman looked to Freddie and the young man answered, "Yes, she loves leather jackets and black is her color… give something her fans to update on their fashion blogs about her."

The salesman raised a curious eyebrow at the remark.

"It's Hollywood and he's with someone that is actually famous instead of a waiter."

The older gentleman nodded then motioned a hand to his side to direct Freddie to the jackets. "Right this way sir, we have a number of items that may interest you."

Dusty rested his elbow and forearm on the sales counter and shook his head while watching the pair leave. He uttered in a soft voice, "Always have in to save his butt…"

The young dirty blonde studied Dusty for a few seconds, clearly attracted to him, but had a feeling that she had seen him somewhere before he walked into the store. She licked her lips and questioned, "Hey, aren't you Heather Fox's husband?"

The brown eyed young man turned his head and lifted his left hand to rest his chin on, showing off the silver wedding band on his ring finger, and softly smiled.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Freddie happily exited the clothing store with Dusty trailing him holding his own bag. As they headed past the shops, dodging other last minute shoppers and towards the exit of the mall, Dusty asked, "So, is she going to like it?"

Freddie smiled with great relief and answered, "I think she'll love it. Thank you for the suggestion. I was hoping to get it embroidered with a personal message inside, but their tailor already went home."

"What did you want it to say?"

"What?"

Dusty raised his brow and repeated, "The message. What did you want the message to say?"

Freddie thought on the exact message he wanted to put the jacket then answered, "To the girl that will always have my heart."

The slightly taller young man teased, "Careful, you're making a pledge to her…"

Freddie smirked and was about to make a counter remark, but Dusty waved his hand over the bag and remarked, "There. You have your message. Say it's part of my Christmas present to you."

The college student chuckled and gave a thankful smile, "Thanks."

The pair had reached one of the corners of the mall where one of the big retailers had exclusivity to an entrance, so they would be the first store to encounter. Dusty took an abrupt detour to weave through the racks of clothing to get lost in the holiday shuffle. Freddie followed behind, figuring that Dusty perhaps wanted to pick something else up as he had unexpectedly purchased an item back at the fine clothing store.

The leading member of the duo through the store suggested, "Now, I suggest a nice bouquet of flowers and a bit of fruit, assuming there are any left for you to get."

"I got her sweets, but the flowers are a good idea. I doubt any place around here can fill that order in this short notice."

Dusty nodded his head to the side and grinned, having perhaps a devious thought. "Around here maybe, but… I know a place that has the best roses."

"Where?"

He rested a hand on Freddie's shoulder and answered, "It's in France, so… we have to make a little hop."

A flutter later and the pair were gone.

Jade West Residence  
13981 Aubrey Road  
Beverly Park  
Beverly Hills, CA

About an hour after leaving the mall then returning, Freddie pulled the Charger into the driveway then waited the few seconds for the garage door to open then pulled the car inside. He turned off the ignition then stepped out of the vehicle then turned to pull out the bag from the backseat.

He shut the door then walked around the front of the car to the passenger side. He opened the door then carefully pulled out the dozen roses that were securely situated in the floor of the passenger seat. He balanced the flowers and the bag to shut the door with his hip then headed to the door into the

Freddie dropped the bag and bouquet of flowers on the kitchen island. He looked around and saw that the coast was clear. He took his opportunity to grab the bouquet of flowers and walk over to one of the higher cabinets.

As soon as he closed the cabinet to hide the flowers, he heard Jade's voice behind him, "I thought I heard you come in."

Jade walked down the short corridor between the stairs and the living room and into the kitchen, wearing a loose fitting T-shirt and pajama pants, already dressed down for the late afternoon and evening. A few seconds later, Freddie's his half-sister Amanda, the one that he didn't know even existed for most of his life and an identical twin to his dear friend Cat Valentine, followed her future sister-in-law wearing a black and white snow flakes stripped onesie pajamas.

The dark red velvet hair colored nineteen year old walked to her older brother and pulled him into a quick hug. She pulled back, still holding onto his arms and remarking with a grin, "We thought you'd never get home. We almost started dinner without you."

He awkwardly answered, trying not to come off as nervous and answered, "Well, I just had a bit more shopping to get done."

Amanda walked over to the refrigerator to grab something to drink from the refrigerator while Jade teased with raising her pierced eyebrow and licking of her lips, "Oh, last minute shopping?"

"Something like that…"

Jade glanced over to the kitchen island, noticing the paper shopping bag. "So you have my Christmas present?" She hung her head over the top of the bag to take a quick peak.

Freddie snatched the bag and shouted, "No!"

Jade raised a curious eyebrow, a bit startled with his reaction.

Freddie sighed then answered, "Sorry, it's just… I'll be honest—"

The rock star laughed, clearly teasing him with a smirk and look in her eyes, "When are you not?"

The computer science major cocked his head to the side and answered, "Right… what I mean is… it's getting harder and harder to shop for you and I've honestly been wracking my brain to find something nice for Christmas since the first of November."

Amanda teased from the other side of the island before taking a sip of her drink, "So that's why you've been out all day?"

Jade followed up with a click of her tongue, "And you're just now figuring out something for me?"

Freddie felt for a moment he was being double teamed, but simply nodded his head and answered, "Yes, because I want you to have something that shows you how much you mean to me."

Jade took a step forward and wrapped her arms behind his neck, pulling him close. She warmly smiled and answered, "And you think I don't already know that?"

The handsome young man rolled his eyes and answered, "I do, but it's Christmas, so I have to get something that you'll love."

"If it's going to cause you this much stress, I would settle for like from now on."

Freddie grinned as a devious thought came to mind. He smirked, letting the playfulness dance in his eyes. "So I can get you a lump of coal for Christmas and call it a night?"

Jade cocked an eyebrow while the opposite corner of her lifted up, seeing how far he would go with the joke.

Freddie stole a kiss then laughed, "I'd make sure there would be a diamond in it."

Jade held up her left hand between them and flashing the diamond stud in her engagement ring she had worn for the last three years and answered, "I already got the best diamond in the world."

Amanda shook her head and uttered, "If you two are going to get all lovey dovey, I think I'll go back to the living room to make sure we didn't miss anything with the decorations."

Freddie looked over Jade's shoulder and grinned to his sister, answering, "Thanks."

The readhead through an acknowledging wave over her shoulder and once the dark redhead left the kitchen, Freddie stole a quick kiss from his love and wrapped his arms behind to the small of her back then sighed and sympathetically remarked, "I didn't want her to feel like a third wheel staying tonight."

Jade returned the gesture in holding him and assured him with a sweet smile, "Hey, she wants to be here, you want her to be here, so she knew that could happen by spending Christmas Eve with us. She's a big girl and you don't have to worry about her like that—you don't have to make up for lost time in worrying about her in being a big brother."

Freddie sighed, still irrationally feeling a bit responsible for the situation, but decided to let it go. He brightened with a smile and asked, "So, we're still going over to your mom's first thing tomorrow morning?"

"Yep, dark and early so we can share the morning with everyone…" Jade smirked and teased, "…though it's tempting to skip out of it with your mom going to be there."

Freddie tightened his smile, understanding her apprehension when it came to his mother. Despite how long they had been together, his mother still had a bit of reservations about Jade and now that they were living together out from under her mother's roof, Mrs. Benson just found more reason to disapprove of their relationship. "Hey, would you have preferred she stayed here tonight?"

The pale musician shook her head and quickly answered, "Absolutely not. I'd probably hear her complain about every little thing about the house then you know it would awkward as Hell between her and Amanda. Seeing her ex's kid staring her in the face."

"Right… and speaking of my mother, I better eat something fast and grab a shower. I can't be late taking her to Christmas service. You're still welcome to come."

"Thanks and I do appreciate it, but… I don't want to leave Amanda all by herself and think she's being ditched."

Freddie knew her reason was really just an excuse not to say that she was refusing to go due to his mother, but it was a valid reason in not wanting Amanda to be alone for a few hours on Christmas Eve. "Right…"

Jade kissed him on the corner of his mouth and told him, "You go grab a shower and I'll fix you something to grab on your way out."

Freddie smiled his appreciation then pulled out of her embrace. He stopped by the kitchen island to pick up the shopping bag and told her, "Thanks and I'm going to put this in my room, so don't peek at your Christmas."

The famous singer crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her gaze on him, pouting just a bit in not having a hint of what he could have gotten her.

Jade West Residence  
13981 Aubrey Road  
Beverly Park  
Beverly Hills, CA  
Midnight, December 25, 2015

Freddie had returned from evening service a bit after nine p.m. after dropping his mother off at Mrs. West's home. After changing, Freddie joined the ladies in the living room (the one reserved to entertain guests) to spend the rest of the evening watching Christmas specials—traditional ones as Jade had been out voted in wanting to watch a horror movie with a Christmas them. She had made a compelling case that having something scary—telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve was a tradition and it was mentioned in the classic song, 'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year'.

They finally turned in around eleven that night as other than the next day being Christmas Day after all and they had an early morning at Mrs. West's home. It was going to be an interesting morning to mid-day as it was going to be a full house as besides Mrs. Benson staying, Carly and Spencer were in town for the holiday, since Carly was there, Sam would be over and of course, she and Cat were still tied at the hip regardless of Robbie being the redhead's boyfriend, so she would be over there too.

Jade was snuggled up on Freddie's left side, peacefully sleeping next to the love of her life, while he protectively wrapped his arm around her. Surprisingly, this was still a rare occurrence for the couple as Freddie still had a separate room not only for his belongings, but a bed.

The peaceful night was shattered by a terrified voice down the hall from the master bedroom, "Mommy!?"

Jade's eyes shot open, pulled from her sleep in a moment and instinctively recognizing the voice despite it being an impossible one for her to be hearing. Regardless of how impossible it was, she pulled from Freddie's arm and hopped out of bed, just avoid tripping and tumbling face first into the carpet. She regained her footing to rush to the sound of the voice.

Freddie sat up and tried to rouse himself completely from sleep, trying to figure out was happening.

Jade reached the guest bedroom and flipped on the switch by the door. She froze at the sight of a confused little girl, no older than five with brunette hair and nearly pale skin, sitting upright in the bed and looking all around the room.

The brunette little girl's eyes stopped darting around when the light came on and she spotted Jade. She shouted and opened her arms, "Mommy!"

The rock star instinctively moved towards the bed and crawled onto it towards the girl. She wrapped her arms around the child and she in turn wrapped her arms behind Jade's neck. "It's okay sweetheart. Mommy's here. Mommy's here."

Freddie stopped at the doorway and asked, "What's going on?"

Jade slightly pulled away from the little girl, but not daring to let her go, and looked over shoulder to meet Freddie's eyes and reveal the girl's existence.

Freddie's jaw dropped and uttered, having a hard time believing what he was seeing, "Sapphire?"

The child gleefully shouted, "Daddy."

The couple's eyes immediately met, trying to see if the other had any idea what was happening. Trying to figuring out why their unborn child was somehow here with them would have to wait as they heard Amanda's familiar and what sounded like a terrified voice called out from downstairs, "AHHHH!"

Freddie dashed from the room and headed towards the master bedroom while Jade picked up Sapphire in her arms and followed her future husband out of the room.

He pulled open the second drawer to the night table and pulled out a small metal box. He tapped a three digit code and the lock opened. He pulled out the handgun, a bit of extra home security, checking the magazine and flipping the safety switch then headed downstairs.

He passed his future wife and child waiting by the door then headed downstairs. In only a few more moments, he dashed down the stairs and reached the guest room and kicked open the door. In a smooth motion, he flicked on the light switch by the door and took a bead on the person that clearly wasn't Amanda with his weapon. He froze at the sight of the individual in a grey T-shirt and pajama pants.

Ian—the older Ian that Freddie had met ten months ago in the future—rubbed the back of his head while picking himself off the floor one side of the queen size bed while Amanda was holding up the lamp for the night table up and readying to swing it like a baseball bat.

Freddie lowered the handgun and shouted, "Whoa! Everyone calm down!"

Amanda defiantly shouted despite the fear that laced her voice, "Who are you?! How did you get in here?"

Ian shouted just as outraged in return, "Me? What are you doing in my bed?!"

Freddie shouted with a bit of authority in his voice, "I said calm down!"

The pair in the bedroom looked to Freddie, each catching their respective breaths. Amanda lowered the lamp and sat it back on the nightstand, trusting that Freddie would easily protect her.

"Amanda, it's alright, that's Ian."

The dark redhead darted her eyes back and forth between the intruder and her brother and shouted, "What? Ian's eight!"

The surprised teenager shouted back as he did the same with his eyes, "I'm what?" He looked to Freddie and saw the surprised and awkward expression. He raised his pointer fingers, waving his hands a bit and waved his hands, slightly shaking his head and disbelievingly chuckling, "No, no, no… I'm not…"

Freddie sympathetically answered, "It looks like you are…"

Jade stopped at the door and eyes went wide at spotting the young man. She recognized him in a moment from the picture Freddie brought back with him from the future, yet still uttered in disbelief, "Ian?"

Ian turned to look at his stunned half-sister holding Sapphire, seeing she was just as startled in seeing him. He lowered his hands and sighed, giving her a lopsided grin as he realized the truth, "Hey Sis."

Sapphire shouted for joy as she saw the festive dressed girl, "Aunt Mandy!"

Amanda turned her attention from the stranger to the child. She gave a cursory glance at the cute child, but recognized the pale skin, blue eyes and brunette hair. She knotted her brow, not accepting what she saw at the moment. Her mouth dropped open and darted her eyes between the new arrivals. She stuttered, "Aunt… Aunt Mandy?'

Freddie hid his gun behind his right thigh and motioned his free hand towards the door. "Let's all go to the kitchen and figure out what's going on."

Jade stated with a firm voice, asserting who was in-charge in the home that her heard earned dollars had bought, "Good idea."

The 'man-of-the-house' awkwardly grinned and stated without showing the item in question, "I'm going to drop this back off in your room."

Freddie led the group out of the guest bedroom and headed for the stairs while Jade led them to the kitchen. As they walked, Sapphire asked, "What happened to my room?"

Jade turned her nearly matching blue eyes to the child in her attempted to begin, "Ah…"

Ian was far better mentally on his feet answered, "It's still there, we're just… it looks like we're on Christmas adventure."

Sapphire raised an eyebrow eerily similar to an expression Jade might give someone when she was questioning the validity of a statement—or sanity.

Ian licked his lip and tried to take a stab at it, "Yeah… we're… Santa sent us on a trip to…"

Jade raised a similar eyebrow, seeing where her stepbrother was trying to go with his explanation. "Sweetheart, you and Ian… you're visiting us before you were born, so your room isn't decorated yet. I don't know why you're here, but I'm happy you are."

Sapphire knotted her brow in an adorable fashion and asked, "Born yet?"

The dark haired future mother licked her lips then answered, "Yeah… this is like… you're visiting Christmas past like in a Christmas Carol where the ghost takes Scrooge to see the past."

Ian suddenly recalled something from what he had to sit through a couple of hours ago from his point-of-view when Freddie had taken over the living room to share a preview that had become a tradition on Christmas evening, "Yeah, we traveled through time and space… just not in a blue police box."

Sapphire's eyes lit up and asked, "You mean like the Mickey's Christmas Carol and Doctor Who?"

Jade knotted her brow and threw a questioning gaze to her stepbrother.

Ian smiled as he remarked, "She's her father's daughter."

The famous musician nodded her head, not surprised that their daughter would pick up a few things from her father. She just hoped she had picked up a few things from her other than her creative side.

The quartet reached the kitchen and Amanda switched on the light, illuminating even the decorated kitchen fit for a professional chef.

Jade sat Sapphire on the edge of the kitchen island and asked, "Sweetie, do you need anything? Something to eat or drink?"

"Can I have some juice?"

Amanda happily offered as headed for the refrigerator, "I got it."

Jade mouthed, "Thank you," then looked at her daughter, brushing some of the hair out of her face.

Sapphire gave her mother a curious look, seeing the young woman examine her as if she was a piece of art and asked, "What mommy?"

The usually intimidating young woman emotionally melted and answered with a loving smile, "This is the first time I've ever seen you. I'm just seeing how pretty my little girl is."

Ian walked up beside his sister and cautioned with a grin, "Careful, you don't want to give her a big head. It's bad enough with Freddie and your mother wanting to spoil her all the time."

Sapphire turned to look at her uncle and playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

Ian laughed and walked over to the child, "Oh? It's going to be like that?" He raised his hands and tickled her sides, drawing a delightful giggle from the girl as she playfully swatted his hands. He stopped tickling her a few seconds later and Sapphire held out her arms, signaling that she wanted him to pick her up.

The boy in his mid-teens rolled his eyes and picked up the child. He let her rest on his right forearm and tickled her stomach, drawing another smile from her.

Jade just watched how the pair got along and it warmed and relieved her heart. She had a hidden fear that she hadn't shared with Freddie that once Sapphire came into the picture, Ian might feel neglected as she was such a presence in his life and she wouldn't have time for him. The fear wasn't applicable with him being in his mid-teens, but any problem must have been minor or solved with the obvious bond the pair possessed.

The dark haired future mother asked with a hint of a laugh, "So you're daddy's little girl?"

Sapphire knotted her brow a bit, unsure what her mother meant by the comment.

Jade took a hand to hold, slipping her thumb into the girl's palm and clarified, "You're the most important thing to your daddy, aren't you?"

The brunette child smiled and nodded, laughing.

Ian added, "She certainly is to Freddie."

Freddie returned to the kitchen with a concerned expression and joined them at the kitchen island. "Who's what to me?"

They turned their attention to Freddie and Ian answered, "Sapphire is the most important thing in your life."

The college senior glanced to his future child and answered, "I'm not surprised." He looked to Ian and followed up, "So you're here?"

Ian turned to face his future brother-in-law and answered, "Yep, it looks like we're really here. What's the date by the way?"

Jade glanced at the built in clock to the microwave at the end of the kitchen to them and seeing that it was past midnight, answered, "It's Christmas Day."

The teenager commented then followed up, "It was Christmas Eve when we went to bed, but the year, what's the year?"

Freddie cautiously answered, "Twenty-Fifteen."

"Ah… same year that you traveled from for Valentine's Day?"

"Yeah and it looks like it's been ten months for both of us…"

"And you decided not to tell me?"

Freddie slightly knotted his brow and asked, "Tell you what?"

"That we'd show up here? This happened seven years ago in our time and none of you thought to give me the heads up that I would just be dropped in the past on Christmas?"

"I don't know what to tell you. I don't know why we decided to keep it a secret and not tell you." Freddie shook his head and muttered, "I just know that I better call Dusty."

The answer didn't seem to satisfy Ian, but he didn't see a point in arguing.

Freddie headed out of the kitchen to head back to their room to retrieve his phone.

Jade called out, "Wait."

He stopped and looked over his shoulder, knotting his brow. "What?"

She caught up with him and rested her hands on his forearms, "Freddie, we have our daughter _right now_ for Christmas. We can wait call him, just for a few hours and enjoy this time with her… enjoy this gift."

Freddie dropped his voice and leaned slightly forward to bring their faces closer as to not be overheard by the others, "You don't know if this is a gift. It could be one of Fate's sisters just trying to screw with us. They got snatched from their time and dropped here. You are probably worried out of your mind what happened to Sapphire."

"But I know where she went—right here. She's safe with us. There must have been a reason that we didn't try to figure it out in the mean time and stop it from happening."

"I know why: time paradox. How things haven't unraveled, I don't have a clue."

She bowed her head, drew a breath then asked, "Look, you got to spend time with her months ago, why can't I?"

Freddie sighed and looked over her shoulder to the three now idly standing around the island.

* * *

While the couple were discussing what they should do, Sapphire motioned with her arms that she wanted her aunt to pick her up.

The dark redhead was hesitant for a moment, but opened up her arms and Ian passed the child off to the older teenager. She awkwardly smiled at the child, still not sure what to make of her. The others might have been a little more accustomed to strange happenings, but she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that her future sister-in-law's stepbrother from the future and that her unborn niece were in the same room with her.

However, Sapphire was happy to see her aunt and put a kiss on her cheek.

The sign of familial affection eased the tension the petite girl felt and smiled in return. She studied the girl in her arms, seeing the resemblance of the girl to Jade with a hint of Freddie. She thought that Sapphire definitely got the hair from their side of the family, ignoring the fact that Jade's natural hair color was brown. She couldn't examine her long because she was a bit heavy for the small teenager. She walked over to the bar and took a seat on the stool while Ian followed with the cup of juice Sapphire had left behind.

Ian took a seat next to her and cleared his throat and clearly tried to ease the awkwardness among them, "You look nice Amanda. You're still rocking the dark red hair."

The older teenager gently smiled and answered, "Thanks and you… you've grown up to be a handsome young man."

He returned with a boyish grin and answered with a bit of pride, "Yeah, the girls certainly think so."

"Oh? So you became a bit of a ladies' man?"

"I would say I get my fair share of attention, but I'm only concerned about one girl keeping their eyes on me."

Amanda licked her lips and raised an eyebrow, curious as to his meaning. "So you have a girlfriend?"

"Yes I do and I think we're going strong." He nodded his head to the side and reluctantly admitted, "Okay, it can be a little difficult since we're going to different high schools, but that can't be helped."

"That's rough. I've known a few people that did that when I was in school and it had mixed results. If you're not going to the same high school, how did you meet her?"

"Oh, I met her when I was six."

The older teenager squinted and asked, "Wait, you met her when you were a child?"

"Yes. You might remember her. She's the one that was involved in the car accident that Tori had on her way to New York to film a movie. The one that got a miraculous healing."

Amanda's eyes went nearly as wide as saucers and uttered, "The little girl you have a crush on now? You two?"

"What am I now, seven? Yeah, I definitely had a little crush on her… I didn't understand it, but I definitely liked her."

"You two look so cute together," the dark redhead commented, feeling a bit gossipy when it came to relationships.

"I wish I had my phone on me and I could show you a picture. My Grace is very pretty… turned from a pretty duckling to a beautiful swan."

Amanda giggled, "I hope you don't use those lines on her."

Ian charmingly grinned, perhaps something he had picked up from Freddie over the years and answered, "Just sometimes."

Sapphire reminded them of her presence, as if her weight on Amanda's lap wasn't enough, "Grace is really nice. I like her."

The future Hollywood Arts student laughed, "That's because she'll color with you."

"Auntie Cat colors with me too," she countered, figuring that was enough to point out that wasn't the only reason she liked the blonde.

"And you like her too…"

The child slightly squinted, feeling that she just had been verbally outfoxed.

Amanda asked, probing to see where she ranked in the child's favorability, "Do I color with you?"

Sapphire turned her sights away from Ian and looked to Amanda to answer, "When you visit. You go to school in New York."

"Aww, I hope visit enough?"

The child nodded and answered, "You do and I see you on the computer."

Ian added, "Don't worry, you're part of your favorite niece's life."

The New Yorker half smirked and asked for clarification, wondering if Jon had children by their time, "My favorite?"

"Okay, your only niece, but she's still your favorite."

"But am I her—your favorite aunt?" she corrected while looking down at the child.

Sapphire looked caught for a moment, but Ian answered, "She has several of aunts, so it's not really a fair question."

Amanda looked to Sapphire with a half smile and slight squint, letting her off the hook in answering the question.

The couple returned to the kitchen and Jade warmly informed them, "Well, we're going to figure out what happened and get you back, but in the meantime… we're going to enjoy our Christmas together."

Sapphire fearfully questioned, "But it's past my bedtime. I'm supposed to be in bed. How is Santa going to deliver our presents if we're up?"

Jade awkwardly smiled, unsure to answer the question. She and Freddie had clearly taught Sapphire the existence of Santa and the musician had figured out that Santa wasn't real when she was fairly young, taking a bit of the magic out of the season for her—though she still felt bad if she made fun of him as she had mentioned years ago in a Slap video, so didn't want to spoil her child's belief in jolly Saint Nick. She thought for a second then offered, "We'll be to bed before sundown, so he can swing back around to leave gifts."

Ian added with a playful reached over and ruffled her hair on the top of her head, "Since we're here and not there, he can deliver the presents and they'll be there when we get back."

The brunette child brushed her hair out of her face, pouting a little bit with how he would tease her. However, she nodded her head in understanding.

Freddie offered with a warm smile, "Why don't I get you a Christmas sweet then we'll go watch some Christmas movies?"

Sapphire eagerly nodded, not willing to turn down a treat.

Amanda offered Jade to pick up her daughter, eagerly accepting the child.

Sapphire giggled and Jade didn't think she could have been happier as she held her future in her arms. The ladies headed for the living room while Freddie headed for a cabinet to grab a small plate then headed for the refrigerator to reach for a tray of cookies that he was saving for tomorrow—well today—and grabbed a few to put on the plate.

Ian waited behind for Freddie to get the cookies then punched the side of his brother-in-law's left arm.

"Oww," Freddie muttered as he turned to Ian and rubbed his arm. "What was that for?"

"For not telling me you were past you when you showed up for Valentine's Day," he replied with a sharp tone and knotted brow.

"Hey, I couldn't just tell who I was. What would be the point? I was only going to be there for a little while then gone. I didn't want to startle either one of you."

Ian rolled his eyes and answered, "Yeah, you give me that same excuse six years from now."

"What's the problem? Sounds like my future self told you what happened pretty quickly."

"Yes you did. I guess I don't like being fooled. I couldn't tell it wasn't you."

"It was me, younger me, but still me."

"Still…" Ian trailed off.

Silence fell between them for a few seconds until Freddie smiled and commented, "It's still good to see you. I missed you-you."

"Thanks. I guess it must be good to see your little girl again."

Freddie smiled. "It is…" He looked over his shoulder to the exit of the kitchen and added, "…and Jade is happy—not jumping up and down with joy, though she's definitely feeling it. It's a better Christmas present than I could ever give her."

"Did you wish this like last time?"

"I didn't wish going to the future the first time and I didn't this time ether, so… it's as much a mystery to me as it is to you."

"So what are you going to do about it? Jade said you were going to try to figure it out."

"I'm going to give Dusty a call… in a little bit."

"In a 'little bit'?"

"Jade wants the chance to spend time with Sapphire and you. The video recording of you two over Valentine's Day brought her to tears, but to have you both here in the flesh and blood… how can I deny her a least a little time to share with you?"

Ian took a breath then nodded, seeing the older fellow's point. "I guess it's not so bad being stuck in the past for a bit… just like Marty McFly in Back to the Future, but there's no chance of bumping into my parents to prevent my birth… let's just hope we don't prevent someone else's birth." He motioned his head over his shoulder out of the kitchen.

"We still have thirteen months and I don't see you doing anything that would suddenly have us breakup."

Jade and Amanda settled on the couch at the end of the living room, flanked on their right by the semi-circle windows to the vaunted ceilings with Greek inspired columns equally spaced apart, and looked to the television. The nearly black haired young woman picked up the remote control and went to one of the preschool kids' channel to turn on a Christmas movie. The animated show with woodland creatures dressed up for Christmas and singing a song appeared on the screen, instantly grabbing the child's attention.

Freddie and Ian caught up with the rest of the family and the future father placed the plate and Sapphire's left drink on the table. Jade got up from the seat to let Freddie have her seat, but Sapphire surprised them by sliding off the couch and sit between it and the coffee table to grab a cookie.

Amanda and Freddie passed glances to each other then slipped off the couch to sit on either side of the child that was settling into watching the Christmas movie.

Jade looked to the still standing Ian and finally got her chance to wrap her arms around and over Ian's shoulders to pull him into a hug. She breathed out with an emotion filled voice, "Ian."

Ian smiled and glanced down her back to the floor then returned the hug. "It's good to see you too Big Sis."

She pulled back and met his eyes, sweetly stating as she fought back a new wave of happy tears. She glanced up and down and remarked, "The pictures and videos don't do you justice."

The messy haired young man laughed, confident in his statement, "Thanks and you're still as pretty as ever—now, then, now… this time traveling is confusing."

"Yeah, it can be," Jade answered with a shared smile.

The out-of-time-synced siblings fell into silence for a few seconds, allowing the pale young woman to study him, trying to memorize every square millimeter of his face.

The fifteen year old laugh his question, "Do I have something on my face?

The musician shook her head and answered with a slight glance towards away, "No, I'm just… I'm just shocked to see… _you_. You're…"

He cocked his head a bit to the side, teasingly grinned and flicked his brow up. "What? Ruggedly good looking? Charming?"

Jade grinned, sticking her tongue out for a second, and answered, "I see you don't lack self confidence."

He sucked in a breath and palmed a hand over the center of his chest, acting as if he was a tiny bit offended and answered, "What? I have the best big sister in the world looking out for me and making sure I had a healthy self-image and confidence. Life is hard and she's made sure I was ready for it."

Jade licked her lips then asked with a lace of worry in her voice, "So I've stayed a good big sister for you… I've made sure to be there for you?"

Ian cracked another smile, but had a hint of seriousness behind it. He was suddenly reminded of the conversation he had with Freddie during Valentine's Day, about how Jade loved him to the point that she was willing to take on more responsibility than a sister for his wellbeing. "You've done a great job mom."

Jade cocked an eye, unsure how to take the borderline sarcastic remark since from her point-of-view, the term carried a lot of emotional weight with her.

Ian cracked a bigger smile and assured her with a gentle resting of his hands on her shoulders, "Besides always being there for me—even when you've been on tour or shooting some movie—and Freddie filled me in a bit about what you were willing to do for me when I was kid after the whole Nora thing…" He swallowed, not sure how to put into words his feelings that he had as a child in a piece of him wishing she had been his mother, but decided keep his good natured smile as he simply finished, "Thanks mom."

Freddie and Amanda noticed that the stepsiblings were having some deep conversation, but decided to remain out of it.

Jade and Ian took a seat at the end of the couch and the music star shook her head, still in a bit of disbelief with his presence and asked, "I have so many questions for you—"

"Which I probably shouldn't answer."

"Why?"

Ian cocked his head to the side and grinned. "I'm not eager to possibly mess up my future. You don't want what's going to happen _not_ happen, but don't worry, there's nothing really bad that happened that would justify me telling you anything to change it."

Jade nodded in being reassured. "Okay… but you have to answer at least a few questions and the first one is: Are you alright? Freddie told me that you were having problems with dad during his visit because you're going to Hollywood Arts from his visit and since you showed up in the guest room, you're staying with us for Christmas instead of dad and your mom?"

Ian took a deep breath and patted his hands on the top of his thighs then attempted to answer to answer in a casual manner, "Yeah… dad and I are going at it again and I just wasn't going to deal with him, so I'm at your place for Christmas. He thinks I'm just throwing a tantrum."

Jade slightly nodded and remarked, "Not that I'm not happy you're here, but wouldn't that upset your mom that you're not spending Christmas with them?"

"She might be upset that I'm here rather than with them, especially since she sees it as me choosing you over her once again, but she wasn't upset enough to step in with dad before Valentine's Day that got me staying here for a few weeks."

The rock star resisted the urge to sigh, thinking more on how she wanted to just ring her stepmother's neck, right after she did the same with her father. "So she's taking dad's side?"

Ian rolled his eyes and flippantly answered, "I think I'd be happier if she did, but she's not taking a side. She's just sitting on a sideline and just hoping that what's going on between me and dad will just work itself out… then she wonders why I'd rather be here for Christmas than with them."

Jade sighed, feeling kind of helpless that she couldn't help him with his disagreements with their father. She figured she probably felt the same way in the future or she probably just washed her hands of it as seeing it as pointless with her experience in dealing with his disapproval of her. She figured she was asking in vain since her future-self wasn't able to fix anything either, but she had to ask, "What's the problem?"

Ian slightly shook his head and answered in a tired voice, "Same old, same old. He's not happy with me going to Hollywood Arts and he's not happy with my girlfriend and he's just genuinely not happy with my choices. He doesn't want me to follow in my sister's footsteps. He wants me to follow in his footsteps, focus in business or maybe even law. I still might. I'm fifteen; I haven't made any decision what I'm going to do. I know Dusty went to Hollywood Arts for the schooling, not because of the performing arts… he eventually got into it with his TV show, but we all know that's not his career. Heck, Freddie went simply to be close to you."

The caring sister nodding along, remembering that Dusty had a television show to her visit to what was not an alternate future and apparently that remained intact, and assured him, "You don't have to make that decision. You're what, a sophomore?"

"Yeah."

Jade's smile brightened as she continued, "See, you have time to figure out what you want. You might want to become a performer or someone behind the scenes or you just might not want to do anything with the entertainment industry. You pointed out Freddie didn't go for the traditional reason and he's not in the industry."

Ian rolled his eyes and pointed out, "Freddie works for Dingo, bouncing between LucasFilms and Pixar to makes movies."

The famous musician cocked a surprised eyebrow then awkwardly laughed, "Okay then… wow. I thought—he thought he'd be sticking with the Pear Company after graduation."

"He still gets his slice of the pie from his camera from them, but he moved onto Dingo." The teenager lowered his voice and added, "I think it's part of his plan to spin Pixar back from Dingo to Pear and become the CEO of the company in the next five years."

Jade clicked her tongue and remarked with pride, "My man is ambitious."

"He has to be to keep up with you with your Grammies and Oscars."

The musician grinned, pleased that she would win an Oscar in the future. She resisted the urge to ask him what she won it for, and continued back on her original point, "Anyway, as I said, you don't have to choose anything now and I'm surprised dad hasn't realized that."

"I thought he had gotten over it, but I think he just let it simmer, hoping I would get bored at school after the first semester and I'd be back at my old high school. I guess he thought he would be right this time since I found out that he thought you wouldn't stick with it when you first got there in your freshmen year."

"Oh? He thought that? I already knew he thought it was stupid, but I didn't realize he thought he held out hope that I would have given it up. If he thinks you're going to be bored at Hollywood Arts then he's going to be in for another rude surprise."

"You're telling me? Sikowitz alone is enough entertainment."

Jade's eyes lit up as she asked, "You have Sikowitz as a teacher?"

Ian smirked and answered with a soft chuckle, "Yep, I have the old coconut hippy as a teacher. You suggested I take every class he teaches, so I'm in his acting class. I'm still not sure what he expects from me with the last name West. I think he expects me to be as dark, twisted and sour as you used to be in his classes."

"I think that's a bit of an overstatement on how I was in his class. I just kept things real and told the truth."

The younger West sibling didn't want to get into a possible argument over that point as he had no way of knowing either way. He just thought that between their individual takes on her behavior, the truth was somewhere in the middle.

Jade followed up, "So is he doing alright?

"Yeah, same crazy Sikowitz that's addicted to his coconut milk and strange plays. He just has all his hair back."

Jade cocked an eyebrow.

"There have been a lot of medical advances revealed to the public since Disclosure."

The pale young woman knotted her brow and questioned, "Disclosure?"

Ian tightened his smile and awkwardly answered, "You'll just have to wait for President Shay to tell you in a few years."

"So he's still going to be President?"

"He's in his second term and going strong. People love and hate him like every politician, but I think he's doing a good job."

"I know he'll be glad to hear that… mom's doing okay in the White House?"

"People love her as First Lady. She's pretty, smart and graceful and she's not trying to run their lives with chizzy food as Dusty would say."

"Yeah, he was always quick to complain about that. I think he's still mad he didn't get to confront her about it when she visited Freddie at school for helping Carly talk to her dad over his birthday one time."

"He probably still is, but… you've gotten me to say way too much."

"Okay, but there is one other question I have."

Ian sighed then asked with a smirk, "What is it?"

Jade looked over her right shoulder to her future husband and sister-in-law sitting with her daughter happily watching the television. She looked back at him and somberly asked, "Am I a good mother?"

Ian rested his hand on her left hand and answered with a prideful voice, "You are a great mother. You have this fantastic career, but you remember what the most important thing is and put that first."

The older West sibling took a deep breath, feeling a wave a peace sweep over her knowing that despite whatever shortcomings she thought she had that could handicap.

The handsome mid-teens guy whispered with a bit of a laugh, "Hey, don't get all weepy on me. It's strange seeing you cry."

Jade felt the familiar stinging behind her eyes, but she didn't realize that she was about to cry. She wiped under her left eye with her thumb then let out a soft breath.

Ian waited for his older sister to gather herself then nodded his head past her shoulder and asked, "I've answered your questions, so how about mine? So what's with the plus one for Christmas?"

Jade looked over her shoulder to spot Amanda happily talking with Sapphire. "She just wanted to spend Christmas with her family and that's Freddie. It's not like she's an intrusion for our Christmas."

"What about Jon and parents?"

Jade tightened her smile and answered, "Jon's in New York for this Christmas and his father will never accept Freddie as his son despite what his wife or Amanda might say, so it doesn't look like we'll ever spend a Christmas with them." She sighed and continued, "This Christmas she wanted to make a point that she was sick of her dad's attitude and for a change she wanted to spend it with Freddie instead of just him being an afterthought. Freddie certainly wasn't going to turn her down if she wanted to spend the holiday with us and I wasn't going to either. I just know she and Jon are going to get into another argument over it."

"Makes sense. What I've seen over the years is that she's always had to play peacemaker between Freddie and that side of his family. I kind of vaguely remember things weren't all that happy when everyone met each other—between the whole kidnapping thing."

Jade shook her head and regretfully answered, "Yeah… it wasn't all roses and sunshine with that family reunion then the whole thing between Jon and Tori… anyway, Amanda shouldn't have to be the one always caught in the middle. Leonard is a stubborn man and Jon… even after everything and admitting the truth, he's still loyal to his father to a fault."

Ian snorted a laugh, "We're ones to judge about fathers?"

The rock star paused for a second to get his joke then laughed along with his soft laughter, turning her head slightly and covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

As they calmed their laughing, Ian casually remarked, "I guess this will always be a place of refuge for wayward family."

Jade patted his shoulder and reminded him with a good tease, "You are always welcome here… just don't be lazy, because I'm not supporting a lazy millennial."

"Hey, I'm too young to be a millennial and I've been roped into diaper duty enough time with Thomas for the last month alone to justify me staying."

She knew she had heard him correctly and slightly squinted, asking unnecessarily as her mind quickly extrapolated his statement and the fact that the name he mentioned was also her granddad's name, "Thomas? Diaper duty?"

Ian looked innocent though he had just given away a big secret. "Spoiler."

Jade covered her mouth with her left hand and eyes widened as the gravity of his revelation dropped on her. She had a son in between Freddie's trip to the future and the other pair's trip to the present.

The younger West slightly leaned forward and lowered his voice, "Congratulations."

Jade took a deep breath, trying to steady her breathing with the wave of emotion sweeping through her. She ended up smiling, filled with dozens of more questions, but decided it would be best if she held them to herself as she didn't want to jinx her and Freddie's future.

Over a few feet away, Sapphire had moved to sit in Amanda's lap as they and Freddie sat behind the coffee table between the couch and watched the Christmas movie playing. Amanda curiously asked the child in her lap, "So how old are you?"

The child turned her eyes away from the screen and held up her right hand, holding up all her fingers and thumbs to answer, "I'm five."

Amanda sweetly smiled and asked, "You're five? So you're in school now?"

She nodded her head and answered with a sense of pride in her voice, "Yeah, I go to Page Private School."

"A private school?" She glanced to Freddie for explanation.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders, but willing to guess why his and Jade's future selves would make such a decision, "I'm not surprised. I don't trust the public schools not to fill her head with nonsense and teach at the pace of the slowest student, plus she is the daughter of a celebrity, so it might be a safety issue."

Amanda glanced to the ceiling and slightly nodded, accepting that as a reasonable explanation. Her father had seriously considered sending she and her brother to private school, but since they lived in an upper class part of the city, so they had the better

"Yeah, because granddad is the President."

The dark redhead looked to Freddie for conformation in hearing the child correctly.

Freddie laughed, "Heck, he won. Daughter of famous musician and granddaughter of the President, yeah going to a public school could be a problem."

Amanda decided to keep the conversation going on more pleasant things than

"Do you like school?"

Sapphire nodded as she kept most her attention on the television. "It's fun, but it can be kind of boring sometimes."

"Why's that sweetie?"

"I already know my ABCs and numbers and colors and I can write my name, so I already know what the teacher is teaching us."

Freddie slightly frowned, seeing that the private school hadn't elevated that concern. He muttered to himself, "I wonder if there's an accelerated class for after Christmas."

Amanda turned a curious eyebrow to her brother.

He lazily shrugged as he answered, "I can't have her bored. She might forget whatever she's learned a she waits for the others to catch up. I know I could certainly get bored in class with how some just dragged on when I was at Ridgeway."

The younger Benson sibling saw his points as she couldn't stand being in general classes with the lazy and sometimes stupid classmate regardless of how elitist it sounded. However, she wanted to focus on the brighter side of her future niece's experience and asked, "What do you find the most fun about school?"

"Art and music. I like drawing and painting and singing, but I don't think we get to do it enough."

"I wonder where you get that from," Freddie teased with a glance to Jade.

Jade partially overhear the conversation and returned with a pride smile.

Ian looked around Jade and laughed, "Why don't you sing them a little tune?"

Sapphire thought of a song off the top of her head then sweetly sung with a surprising bit of talent, "Twinkle, Twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are."

The present trio was pleasantly surprised with the sweet and on key voice of the child as she sang the nursery rhyme.

Jade joked with pride, "So I have a little singer in the making?"

Ian answered for the child, "You sing together a lot. I'm kind of shocked that you haven't written a children's album in your spare time."

"I guess that's something I'll have to correct the first opportunity that I have. I assume I won't be going on tour anytime soon from when you are?"

"I think you've mentioned you'd go on tour in the fall at the earliest with an album release in the summer, so you'll have about a good six months."

Freddie and Amanda passed glances to one another, feeling like they were missing a pit of information in the stepsiblings' conversation.

Jade finished without paying much attention to the other pair's curious and confused expressions, "Okay, just remind me when you get back, okay?"

"I will."

The extended family settled to watch a bit more of the Christmas movie, enjoying each other's company until Jade suddenly got up from the couch and headed out of the living room for the stairs.

Freddie looked over Amanda's head and asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," the pale singer answered over her shoulder when she made it to the foot of the steps.

Ian looked to Freddie, hoping that he would have an explanation for Jade's abrupt behavior.

Freddie shrugged his shoulders, not having a clue what his love was thinking. The four settled to continue watching the movie, accepting they were have to wait to see what Jade had in mind.

Jade returned about a minute later holding a laptop against her chest with her left arm and holding a digital camera in that hand while her right hand held her rectangular transparent PearPhone to her right ear.

Freddie curiously questioned, "Who are you calling?"

"Mom."

Jade took a seat on the couch behind the three on the floor and placed the laptop on her lap for a moment it took her to place the camera on the table. Once her hand was free, she moved the laptop onto the table and offered her arms to Amanda to pass Sapphire onto her while balancing holding the phone.

The younger woman passed the child off to her future mother—with a laugh escaping her—and Jade pulled her onto her lap. She opened up the laptop and tapped her fingertips on the keyboard to boot it up then bring up a browser and the webcamera.

Freddie slipped onto the couch beside her and picked up the camera. "You want pictures of us?"

"Is there something wrong with that?

"Paradox?"

"You brought pictures and videos of them back and we're talking to them. We're already risking… that, but we'll get them in a few minutes. We have to do something first."

Freddie raised a curious and concerned eyebrow. He was about to question her further, but the other end of the phone picked up and Jade instantly asked, "Mom? It's me. I need you to wake up."

Mrs. West answered with a very groggy voice, "Jade? What's going on?"

"Something's come up. I need you to get on your computer and bring up a video chat window to my screenname."

The sleepy West Matriarch yawned again then softly complained, "Jade, it's after one, what's going on? Is something wrong?"

"No, something wonderful, but I need you to wake up the others and get on your computer. It's important mom," Jade implored.

The unseen mother questioned as she further woke up, "Who's laughing?"

"Get on the computer and see."

"Okay, okay, just give me a minute," the unseen raven haired beauty groggily answered.

"I'll see you on-line," Jade answered then tapped the end call button.

Freddie questioned again, this time in concern, "Jade?"

"What? You don't think our moms shouldn't get a chance to see their granddaughter?"

He wanted to argue with her, but he knew it would be a losing battle and didn't want to have a fight with her in front of their daughter.

Jade motioned with a hand towards the camera in his hand and instructed him, "While she gets everyone together, you can take some family photos."

Freddie knew that was another pointless argument with her, especially since he had done the same thing in the name of a Valentine's Day gift. "Okay, how do you want to do this?"

Over the next several minutes, Freddie took a number of photos of the family in various pairings and groups. Freddie's favorite had to be a tie between Jade holding their future daughter in her lap and the one where the future parents sat together with Sapphire between them. They took one last photo as a group with the timer on the camera before the video window appeared on the computer screen showing a still sleepy looking Mrs. West with her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Colonel Shay was sitting beside her, looking far more awake than his future wife. Over his right shoulder, Carly was yawning and still trying to fully wake up. Mrs. Benson took the other seat next to Mrs. West and complained, _"Why are we up? What's wrong?"_

Sapphire eagerly waved at the web camera and shouted, "Hi grandmas! Hi grandpa! Aunty Carly!"

Mrs. West's sleepy eyes popped opened, becoming quite awake at the sight and sound of the cute child, Mrs. Benson's jaw dropped and Carly looked back comically and spoke up, _"Jade is that…"_

Jade looked down and gave the child a peak on the cheek and proudly answered, "Oh yes, this is my little girl."

Colonel Shay was the first to voice the obvious question with deep concern, _"How?"_

"We don't know. She just showed up in her future bed at midnight."

Ian walked behind the couch and leaned over the backrest to look over the opposite shoulder to the thigh Sapphire was sitting on and interrupted, "Hey, don't forget about me."

The ones on the other side of the computer screen turned their attention to the new teenager and a new wave of surprise swept over the still rousing group.

Carly squinted in recognition of the person from the photo Freddie had brought back from the future. _"Is that Ian?"_

Ian turned a boyish grin towards her and answered, "Hey Carly, still as cute as ever."

The former web-hostess let out a short, bashful laugh.

Jade looked over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

Ian shrugged his shoulders and answered, "What? I always thought Carly was cute."

The musician held back a comment, mostly out of surprise as she thought he would think that of Sam since they get along so well.

Mrs. West gathered her wits, seeing her daughter in the little girl's features. Jade had shared the picture and video of her child that Freddie had shot, so she was familiar with her appearance. Seeing her nearly in the flesh was truly a sight to behold and felt an instant attachment to her daughter's daughter. She warmly greeted the child, _"Hello little one. How are you?"_

"I'm great grandma. I'm up past my bedtime watching a Christmas cartoons and eating cookies."

Mrs. Benson always the overly concerned parent asked, _"Should she be up?"_

Jade tightened her smile and answered with thinly laced patience, "Mrs. Benson, she's been pulled out of her own time to a point before she was conceived; I think her being up a bit past her bedtime and eating a few Christmas cookies are the least of our worries.

The brunette-reddish hair nurse crossed her arms and directed a frown to her future daughter-in-law.

Colonel Shay gently asked, _"Have you called Dusty?"_

Jade took a deep breath through her teeth then answered, "Not yet, I'm enjoying them being here for a bit then we'll worry about getting them home. I'm taking it at face value."

The leading presidential candidate gave his future stepdaughter (and questionable daughter) a guarded expression and politely stated, "Excuse me for a moment." He stood up and slipped past his daughter to disappear from view.

Mrs. West looked over her shoulder to watch him go then looked back at the screen.

A few seconds later the house phone rang, pulling their attention away from the computer. Jade knotted her brow and looked up at the television to see the caller ID displayed. She immediately recognized it as her old home phone number.

"I got it," Freddie uttered as he got up from his seat and walked over to pick up the receiver. "Hello?"

Colonel Shay answered, "Freddie, you need to call Mister Hale right now."

Freddie covered the mouth piece of the phone and headed for the kitchen.

Amanda looked over her shoulder to watch her half-brother walk out of the room and took a left towards the kitchen, but decided to remain in her seat.

Jade shared her concern with her future sister-in-law, but decided that she should focus on the reason she called her mother in the first place. She vaguely remarked as to not let Mrs. Benson think that she wasn't as equally as important as her mother as to the reason for the call, "So, I wanted you to have a chance to meet your granddaughter a little early."

Freddie ducked into the kitchen and answered, "I know, but… Jade wants to take the opportunity to spend time with them."

Shay regretfully pointed out, _"I know how hard it is to say no to Lynn women, but time is not something to play with as if it was a child's toy. You don't know the consequences of talking to them. You could disrupt their futures or any number of consequences that we couldn't think of."_

"Why do you sound like you know that from personal experience?"

 _"The NSA is listening to us."_

Freddie took a breath, not doubting for an instant that the clandestine organization was listening in on the presidential candidate's phone calls as he was leading candidate much to his party's chagrin. He offered instead, "It could be a Christmas miracle."

 _"You're really taking the optimistic approach aren't you?"_

"It wouldn't be the first time it's happened to us."

" _But you think someone's doing this to be benevolent? You can't think of anyone with that kind of power that wouldn't enjoy screwing you over?"_

"She's dead and she didn't have the power to do this anyway. Them being here can't prevent Sapphire from being conceived. I just don't see what damage they could do for a few hours staying inside my house."

 _"But you don't know what other things can be disrupted. You don't know what little bit of information they could pass on without knowing that could turn out to be nocuous."_

"What? I find out that I send my daughter to a private school or that you have two terms as President?"

Shay sighed on the other end, unsure how to get through to his future son-in-law.

Freddie followed up in a tired voice, "I understand what you're saying, I really do, but… this is my daughter and Jade is getting the chance to spend a little time with her."

The former flyer remained silent on the phone for a few more seconds before remarking, _"Just be careful."_

"We will."

In the living room, the grandparents and aunt were continuing to become acquainted with Sapphire. Mrs. West asked, "So are you excited for Christmas?"

Sapphire nodded and giggled, "Yes! Santa Clause is coming tonight!"

Mrs. Benson carefully questioned, hoping to be sly, _"Is that it? Christmas is about Santa Clause?"_

The child knotted her brow, not sure what her grandmother meant by her question. She turned her head and looked to her mother for clarification.

"I think your grandmother is asking about the meaning of Christmas."

Sapphire's eyes lit up in understanding and answered, "Ohhhh… it's Jesus' Birthday and He has Santa to give presents to everyone like the Wise Men gave him."

The nurse sighed out in relief that her son had made sure to teach his daughter the meaning of Christmas instead of the commercialization of it especially since she saw Jade as practically an agnostic however inaccurate the assessment.

Mrs. West passed a look to Mrs. Benson, not sure whether to complain about potentially embarrassing the girl or having the same relief of Sapphire understanding the truth. She kept her smile on and teased her granddaughter, _"So you've been a good little girl all year?"_

The child paused, thinking for a moment then answered as if she was a little distracted, "I've tried to be…"

Carly followed up, _"I'm sure you have. Do you know what Santa is going to bring you?"_

"I'm hoping he'll bring me a dollhouse for my dolls or maybe new crayons and paints."

 _"So you like to color?"_

Sapphire thought it was an odd question to ask since her Auntie Carly knew she loved to color, forgetting for a moment that she was on her Christmas adventure and her aunt hadn't done colored with her. "Of course I love to color. You color with me all the time."

" _Right… I'm sure Spencer loves teaching you to draw, paint and color—sculpturing, definitely sculpturing."_

The brunette child nodded along, but clarified much to her regret, "We do, but he and Aunt Heather lives in Seattle, so we don't get to do it a lot."

Carly took away from her words that she had made the permanent move to Los Angeles and added, _"I'm sure he visits whenever he can."_

"He does. He has art shows in L.A. sometimes."

The younger Shay sibling was happy that her brother had finally started taking his art serious enough to be in regular art shows, however, she commented on the subject at hand, _"Since I live in L.A., I'll get to see you on Christmas Day for a visit?"_

Sapphire shook her head and answered, "No, you're at the White House with Grandpa and Grandma this Christmas."

Mrs. West slightly bowed her head and smirked, getting the confirmation that all the energy and time they had put in so far into the campaign wasn't a waste. She questioned, curious as to the reason her daughter and family couldn't make it to spend Christmas with them if Carly had made the trip, _"Are we going to see you tomorrow or the next day?"_

"No, Thomas's too young to fly."

 _"Thomas?"_

The kindergartener easily answered, "My baby brother. He's just a month old."

Stunned expressions formed on the future grandparents and aunts on both sides of the screens with the revelation of another child for the couple. Freddie walked back into the living room just as Sapphire mentioned her having a brother and stopped in his tracks.

Ian sighed and shook his head, seeing that trying to keep a few things secret was kind of pointless with Sapphire's 'mouth of a babe'.

Mrs. West sweetly smiled and asked, _"We're going to have a grandson too?"_

Jade laughed out a breath, "It would appear so." She looked over her shoulder to Ian just as Freddie slipped into the seat beside his fiancée.

"He looks just like his father's baby pictures… but not as fat in the face."

Marisa potentially spoiled the happy occasion by giving the child a concern once over with her eyes—perhaps subconsciously remembering her original desire to have a daughter—and commented, _"You look a little pale dear."_

The brunette pouted and crossed her arms, "I'm fine Grandma."

Anyone watching could see the child was sensitive about the topic if not out right offended. Ruby turned a stern look to her future in-law, showing she didn't have the patience for her, especially when she was woken up in the middle of the night.

Marissa apparently was blind or she just didn't care as she pressed, _"Are you eating your vegetables?"_

Sapphire loudly sighed, "Yes grandma, I'm eating my vegetables."

Jade knotted her brow and sternly remarked, "I'm sure your son is taking quite good care of our daughter."

The nurse threw a stern look at her future daughter-in-law, not liking the backhanded insult.

Any further conversation was cut off with Sapphire yawning.

Jade looked down at the girl in her lap and remark, "It looks like the night is catching up with you."

The little girl rubbed her right eye and tried to placate her mother, "I'm fine mommy."

Mrs. West spoke with a hint of a smile, _"Sapphire, I think your mother's right. I think it might be time for you to go to bed. You have to be asleep before Santa can stop by."_

"Okay grandma."

The lovely dark haired woman nodded and added, _"Merry Christmas and I love you very much."_

The brunette child answered with a grin, "I love you too grandma." The words seem to stick in her mouth for a moment, but she finished, "I love you too Grandma Benson."

Marissa couldn't be that blind in seeing that the child was saying it perhaps more out of obligation than the same genuine affection she directed at Ruby.

Sapphire caught sight of Shay walking back into view of the camera and shouted, "I love you grandpa!"

Shay awkwardly smiled, caught by the sound of someone calling him grandpa despite Spencer's age and perhaps should have already had a child. However, she was Ruby's granddaughter and she clearly saw him as her grandfather, so it was easy for him to answered, _"I love you too little pumpkin. You have a Merry Christmas and I'll see you as soon as I can."_

" _Love you too Sapphy,"_ Carly called out while Mrs. West mouthed, _"We'll talk later."_

The child waved buy as Mrs. West tapped a button on her computer and the window went to a dull blue with the Pear Company's logo.

West Residence  
Los Angeles, CA

The webcamera turned off and Ruby directed a smirk towards Marissa. "I'm clearly her favorite."

The nurse crossed her arms over her chest and uttered, "You probably spoiling her, that's why."

The West Matriarch confidently remarked with a smartass smile, "I'm her grandmother… I'm supposed to."

Shay rolled his eyes and interrupted, "You're both wrong; I'm the one that spoils her the most."

The future grandmothers looked to the former flyer and were at a lost for words.

Carly laughed at her father's assertion and feeling an unexpected warm feeling at the idea of being an aunt.

Jade West Residence

Beverly Park  
Beverly Hills, CA

Jade allowed Sapphire to stay up just long enough to wrap up watching the animated movie was winding down, all the time yawning more often as her eyes starting to get heavy.

Jade smiled and whispered, "You're getting sleepy sweetheart?"

The lovely child nodded her head and yawned loudly, "Yes mo… mmy."

The dark haired young woman picked up her daughter and sweetly answered, "Okay, let's get you to bed then when you wake up, you'll be back home in time for Christmas morning." She hated to admit that the night was coming to an end with spending time with her daughter, but her daughter's wellbeing was her utmost priority.

She turned to head out of the living and towards Freddie.

Freddie kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you sweetie."

Jade smiled to her future husband then started back on her way to the stairs.

Sapphire called out, "'Night Daddy, Aunt Mandy…"

The others decided to walk with Jade up the stairs and towards the bedroom. She stopped at the master bedroom and walked to her bed. She flipped on the lamp next to the bed then scooted onto the bed to lay her daughter in the center. She lay down beside her daughter and Sapphire snuggled up to her mother and let her eyes close as they felt heavy.

Freddie, Ian and Amanda waited outside the bedroom and Jade looked to Ian and whispered, "I love you."

"Love you too Big Sis," Ian answered with a soft smile. He turned and exited the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

Jade regretfully smiled, knowing in her heart she wouldn't see that face for another six to seven years. She put that bittersweet feeling aside and glanced to her dozing off future daughter. She smiled and kissed her forehead before settling on the soft bed to allow her daughter to have a motherly and safe embrace to peacefully sleep.

Outside of the master bedroom Ian turned to the half-siblings and asked with a tired breath, "Do you think we'll be out of here by sunrise? Or maybe we're here for the whole day?"

"I don't know, but if you're still here by sunrise, I'll give Dusty a call."

"As much as I'd like to spend Christmas Day with you, I'd like to spend Christmas Day with… you?" He scratched the back of his head and laughed, "You know, I've dealt with a lot of strange things since Jade's been a part of my life: miracle healings, guys with wings, ghost dogs, but actually to be a part of it… how do you deal with it?"

Amanda shook her head and uttered, "I don't know how you all don't go nuts with all the strange things that happen to you."

"It's Christmas; we were due for a miracle."

"Right…" the redhead nodded along.

Ian laughed and spoke up, "I don't know about you, but I've been up enough for my stomach to wake back up. I could grab something to eat."

Freddie motioned his head back towards the stairs and offered, "I'll throw you something together, but there is one more thing…"

As they walked down the steps, Ian laughed, "What? You already know you're going to have a son, what more do you want to know?"

"You got to tell me if the Seahawks go back to the Super Bowl between now when you're from because Dusty is so ragging me about the Panthers going all the way this year…"

Several hours later, Jade began to stir in bed and pulled her left arm to her chest. She clenched her eyes shut as she felt something missing. She blinked and realized she wasn't holding anything, she wasn't holding Sapphire. She sat up and looked down, taking a deep breathe and felt an ache in her heart that she was gone. She lifted the pillow and took a sniff, smelling the faint scent of the little girl. She felt a weight sink in her stomach… in her heart yet the emotion was ready to burst out through tears.

However, she swallowed it down and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to ache for the momentary lose, but be grateful for the experience. She got to interact with her daughter and let her know that she was loved. She wiped the threatening tears away with her thumb and decided that she couldn't put off the day. She slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom to begin her morning ritual.

After a few more minutes, she trotted down the stairs, noticing the sun streaming in through the windows. The light reflected and twinkled off the heavily decorated tree and decorations that filled the room. Freddie and Amanda were sitting on the couch watching television and sipping on morning drinks.

Jade quietly called out, "Merry Christmas."

Freddie got up from his seat and walked over to his future wife and pulled her into a hug. He whispered into her ear, "Merry Christmas."

The dark brunette snuggle her face against the side of his neck and found comfort in his arms.

The couple remained that way for several seconds then Jade pulled her face away and smiled to him. She quietly asked, "What time is it?"

Freddie somberly smiled and answered, "It's about eight."

Jade raised an eyebrow, expecting to get up earlier so they could head over to her mother's house, but he shrugged and explained, "I figured there wasn't any point in waking you up."

"Right, so… I assume Ian's gone too?"

Amanda answered with a sympathetic smile, "Yeah, we were talking then the next moment, gone."

Jade took a deep breath and nodded her head, trying to fight back the tears that wanted to stream down her face.

Freddie kissed her right temple and assured her, "It's okay. They're safe and sound and we'll see them again."

The lovely pale young woman sniffled and nodded her head, letting a smile form back on her face. She turned to Amanda and pulled her future sister-in-law into her arms, giving her a pat on her back. "Merry Christmas Amanda."

"Merry Christmas Jade."

The musician took another deep breath then stated with an eager voice, "Let's grab a quick breakfast, get dressed, throw the presents in the car and head for mom's."

Freddie spoke up as he followed Jade out to head for the kitchen, "Okay, but you got to open my present first. I think you might need it for the weather."

Benson Residence

13981 Aubrey Road  
Beverly Park

Beverly Hills, CA

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Sapphire slowly started returning to the waking world, feeling the pull to consciousness. She rolled onto her back and took a deep yawn then smacked her laps and sat up in bed. She stretch out her arms above her head then rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawning again. She relaxed her shoulder and looked over to the clock on her nightstand that showed the time just after eight AM and the date: 12/25/2022.

It was Christmas morning.

She glanced around the room, confirming that it was her room with all her posters, paintings, toys and the art station in the room. She looked up to see that her ceiling was still decorated with stars. Her smile grew to an ecstatic grin that she was home—though she was at home during her trip. She threw the covers off and slipped from her bed to head for Christmas morning.

She exited her room and went to the stairs, holding the guardrail and carefully walked down the stairs until she reached the first floor and stood across the open doors to the living room. She saw the decorated tree and the rest of the room trimmed with further Christmas decorations, particularly the stockings hung on the fireplace banister. Most importantly, she saw her mommy, daddy and Uncle Ian each in their pajamas gathered around the tree and Ira, Ian's Border Collie wagging his tale while standing beside his master. She shouted, "It's Christmas!"

The three turned away from the tree and spotted the joyful child.

Ira reached her first and attempted to lick her face, but the child wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled up against the side of his head. The dog pulled away and obediently sat, waving his tale as Jade walked over and knelt in front of her child. She pulled daughter into a hug then kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "Merry Christmas my angel."

Jade picked up her daughter and had her rest on her right forearm while Freddie walked over while gently rocking his son in his arms. He followed up with the kiss on her cheek and the warmest of greetings, "Merry Christmas Sapphire."

The baby was awake and giggling and since Freddie stood within reach, Sapphire reached out and let him grasp her right pointer finger then leaned forward to kiss her baby brother's forehead. Jade had to quickly balance with the shift of her child's weight, but she managed it.

Ian walked over and picked up his niece, relieving the weight from his sister as the child was getting a little big for her to carry.

Jade lead them to the fireplace where a few stockings, each personalized, were hanging on the banister and they began the morning ritual of opening presents, sharing in the joy of exchanging gifts. The joy on Sapphire's face when she tore open the paper and revealed the dollhouse was the best part of the holiday for the parents.

After all the gifts and treats were exchanged, the family gathered around the small circular kitchen table in the enclave between the kitchen and the formal dining room. Thomas was safely in his basket gently swinging and playing with his new rattle and Sapphire was playing with a new doll between bits of her breakfast. She randomly commented between spoonfuls of cereal, "I had the funniest dream last night.

Jade raised an eyebrow while she leaned over Thomas to make sure he was fine, being a little paranoid about the swing, and questioned, "Did you? You didn't dream of sugarplum fairies?"

The little brunette girl shook her head and answered, "No, I dreamed…" She motioned with a hand as she explained, "I went to the past and I met you and daddy and Auntie Mandy and we watched a Christmas movie and ate cookies. I saw Grandma and Grandpa Shay and Grandma Benson and Auntie Carly on the computer…" She pouted as she recalled something one of her grandmothers had spoken, "Grandma Benson thought I was too pale."

Jade easily recalled the memory from seven years ago, the sting of her mother-in-law's remark not easing one bit in the proceeding time.

"Your grandma is just concerned about you that's all. Just like all grandmothers are."

Sapphire pointed out, "But Grandma Shay isn't like that."

Ian laughed behind the rim of his glass, "That's because she's pale too."

The three turned to Ian, each showing him a various look of surprise.

"What? She's not saying anything because she thinks that's normal. It was for her and Jade."

"I just don't want Grandma to put sunscreen on me in the middle of winter."

Jade assured her daughter, "Grandma Benson can be a little… overboard, but she loves you very much. You know I'll make sure she wouldn't do such a thing to you."

Sapphire gave her mother a slight pout, a bit unsure if she was telling the truth, but accepted it and focused back on her breakfast.

Freddie leaned over to Ian that was sitting to his right and asked, "So she really thinks last night was a dream?"

Ian shrugged his shoulder and answered between bits of his toast, "I guess so…"

The patriarch of the home accepted the answer and the family finished their breakfast. Jade was the first to get up and pick up Thomas up from his basket to cradle him. She offered her hand to Sapphire to take and gently instructed her, "Come on, we have to get ready for Christmas service then meet everyone at your Aunt Tori's and call up your grandma and granddad."

Sapphire happily got up from her seat to follow her mother as she was eager to enjoy the rest of the day.

Once they had left the room, Ian punched Freddie on the side of his left arm.

Freddie rubbed the side of his arm and gave him an incredulous expression. "What was that for?"

"For not telling me I was going to disappear on Christmas night. Dude, time traveling?"

The computer animated movie maker calmly answered, "Time paradox, okay. Time paradox. Thomas's existence was spilled to us, making him a possible bootstrap paradox. I wasn't going to risk anything else. I wasn't going to have whatever you said be influenced by what I told you before you left. I was just going to let things play out how we remembered them."

Ian countered, not entirely convinced by his line of reasoning as he still would have appreciated the heads up, "You were always going to have another child and Sapphire letting it slip wasn't going to make a difference."

"You both gave away a time of birth for him, so it made a difference. Besides, you know it made your sister beyond belief. My little leather jacket couldn't compete with it that year or a few years after."

The teenager crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes, accepting that it did make his sister beyond happy. "Fine, but… are there any other times where one of you jumps to the future or I get dumped into the past?"

"Nope, but… you never know."

"But you would know."

"When it's Heaven involved, I'm not going to count on it. I don't doubt they could pull a Terminator Five and just start having more stuff happen without us knowing about it until after the fact."

Ian raised an eyebrow and asked a little cocky, "So you know it was one of the harp players that did the 'Ghost of Christmas Past' thing?"

"I assumed it was the one that did the Valentine's Day trip, but I've never had a confirmation. My understanding is not many can do the time traveling trick."

The teenager nodded his head to the side and accepted the explanation even if he didn't like being snatched up without warning.

Freddie grinned to see that he had placated his stepbrother-in-law and reminded him, "Now come on, we need to get ready. I know you're eager to go see Grace." He didn't wait for an answer as he went over to the sink to drop off the family's dishes in the sink then headed out of the kitchen to head to the master bedroom.

Ian let out a slow breath and slightly shook his head as Freddie knew that he would be more eager to see Grace then worry about temporal mechanics and the theological issues raised by their intervention. He followed Freddie to head for the stairs, but before he could reach them, he saw a glint from the corner of his left eye in the living room. He turned get a good look at whatever he glimpsed and saw it again near the top of the Christmas tree.

The teenager walked back into the living room and stopped just in front of the tall tree, glancing up at the angel topper. He slightly squinted to study it for a moment.

The next moment the inanimate object blinked and drawn mouth curled into a smile.

Ian stepped back startled, just as the television turned on and the person on the news reporter warmly spoke, "… and Merry Christmas."

The Hollywood Arts student looked to the television then back at the angel topper that looked as normal as it had the entire time it was up there during the month. He shook his head and uttered, "I hope you angels come through with me if I ever hit a rough patch in my love life."

Ian turned off the television then headed back out of the living room, leaving the angel topper to smile again.

Author's Note: Well I hoped you enjoyed that little slice of their lives. I'd like to thank PD31 and Illusorygentlemen for suggestions Jedi's son's name as after all these years, I never really gave it serious thought about his name. PD31 gave me the first suggestion, but I'm saving that for Shay and Ruby's unexpected child that we saw in the picture after Freddie's visit to the future for story reasons. Again, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See you in the coming year.

Just a bit of reminder with the cast:  
Jennifer Connelly as Ruby West  
Joe Flannigan as Colonel Steven 'Loco' Shay

Jack Griffo as 15 year old Ian West  
Ariana Grande pulling double duty as Amanda Benson

Cody Christian as Dusty Hale


End file.
